Puzzle.



F. W. RICE.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.12, 1913.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. W. RICE.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.12, 1913 Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FREDERICK W. RICE, OF EAST SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 23, 1915,

Application filed August 12, 1913. Serial N o. 784,403.

To all whom it may concern: 7 z

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WILLIAM RICE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at East Seattle, in the county of King and. State ofWashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPuzzles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to puzzles and more particularly to that classknown as picture puzzles, the puzzle being in the form etc.

It is one aim of the invention to so divide each separate area or fieldof' the sheet with respect to the outline of the figure depicted thereonthat the lines defining the outlines of the figure portions willregister with the ends of the lines defining the outline of any of theother figure portions when disposed in the relative position occupied byit in the area of which it originally formed a part, when arrangedwithin or orming a part of a. new assemblage of the figure portions orsubdivisions of other areas or fields.

It is an aim of the invention to provide in a puzzle having the generalcharacteristics above mentioned, such an arrangement of areas andsubdivisions of areas that an almost endless variety of grotesque figurearrangements may be secured by interchanging the divided portions of theareas into which the sheet is divided, to form new picture areas,.thepuzzle when so used affording considerable amusement and inducing theexercise of ingenuity in the production of figures grotesque and comicalin appearance.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the sheetcomprising the puzzle, the picture areas into which the sheet is dividedbeing divided on the face of the sheet by full lines and thesubdivisions constituting the areas being divided on the face of thesheet by dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 butillustrating the subdivisions of the grotesque picture areas in whichthe images are depicted in their proper form; and Fig. 3 is a viewillustrat ing one of the many arrangements of the subdivisions which maybe made to form a grotesque picture area. Fig. 4 is a view similar toFig. 3, illustraing another arrangement of the subdivisions.

In the drawings and particularly in Fig. 1 thereof, in which figure thepuzzle is shown in its initial condition, the same consists of a sheetof any suitable material indicated by the numeral 1 which sheet is,however, preferably relatively thick so that when out into sections in amanner to be presently explained, the sections or divided portions maybe conveniently fitted together edge to edge. In fact, if founddesirable, blocks having faces corresponding to the divided portions ofthe sheet may be employed and the blocks placed face to face in workingthe puzzle or in securing grotesque arrangements. The face of the sheet1 is divided by a number of horizontal lines 2 and vertical lines 3 intoa number of picture areas 4 which in the present instance have theoutline of a square and are all of the same dimensions. The face of thesheet is also divided by horizontal lines 5' and vertical lines 6 whichlines transect the picture areas 4: and intersect at the centers,

and the lines 5 and 6 which subdivide they 7 picture areas are dottedlines. v

While as stated in the present instance the puzzle is initially in theform of a sheet divided'as above described, it may be placed upon themarket in the form of a number of sections or squares corresponding tothe sections formed by cutting along the lines. 5 and 6 and indicated inthe drawings by the numeral 7.

Within the bounds of each of the picture areas 4 there is printed orotherwise depicted a figure indicated in general by the numeral 8 and inthe preferred form of the invention and where the puzzle is placed uponthe market in sheet form, these figures are grotesque in appearance andcomprise a in Fig. 1 rearranged to form picture areas combination ofdifferent portions of the bodies of different animals or fowls. Forexample, in one of the picture areas indicated specifically in Fig. 1 bythe character A, there is shown a figure the head and the fore legs of acat, the back of a girafie,

and the trunk and rump portions and hind legs of a lion. 1

In printing or otherwise depicting the figures 8 within their respectivepicture areas 4, the figures are so arranged within the areas thattheipoint of intersection of the outline of the back with the line 6vertically dividing the area, as indicated at 9, will be spaced from thepoint of intersection of the lines 5 and 6 within the area, andindicated at 10, a distance equal to the distance between the point 10and the point of intersection of the lower outline of the body with thesaid vertical line. 6 as indicated at 11; and the distance between thepoint of intersection of the breast outline with the line 5 as indicatedat 12 will be spaced from the point 1O a distance equal to the spacebetween the said point 1.0 and the point of intersection of the rump orback outline of the figure with the line 5 as indicated at 13. Thisrelative location of the points 9 and 11 and 12 and 13 to the point 10,is the same in the instance ofall of the figures and the lines 5 and 6dividing the areas Within which they are located, and furthermore theactual distance is the same as concerns the distance between each point9 and 1-1 and the point 10 and each point 12 and 13 and the said point10. As a result ofthis like arrangement of each fig me within itsrespective picture area 'the sections into which the whole number ofareas are divided may be interchangeably arranged to secure variouscombinations so longaof course. as they maintain their initial relativelocation or position in the newly formed, or constructed area. In otherwords, that. subdivision of the area. B in which is outlined the head ofa peafowl,

may replace the subdivision-of the area -A in which is outlined the headof a cat so that the area'A. would then contain a grotesque figurehaving the head ofa peafowl, the back of a lion, the breast and one legof a rooster, and the hind legs and rump of an elephant.

As before stated, it is the object of the invention to rearrange thesections 4 so as to produce animal or other figures of proper form, itbeing understood that the sheet is first out along the lines 2 and 3 soas to separate the various picture areas and that each area is then outalong the lines 5and 6 so as to form the sections or subdivisions 1. Itwill be understood of course that when the various subdivisions of thesheet have been assembled so as to produce the proper number of figuresof proper form the puzzle will have been solved and it Will further beapparent that the subdivisions may be arranged in various groups so asto form picture areas in which theKfigureS will be of grotesqueappearance and that the number of combinations which may be secured inthis manner is practically unlimited. One

of such arrangements of the subdivisions is shown in Fig. 3 of thedrawings and in this view the figure within the picture area has thehead of a girafl'e, the back and tail of a rooster, the fore legs of anelephant, and the trunk and hind legs of a lion." It will be understoodof course that any desired number of the picture areas may be containedin any one sheet and that figures other than animals and fowls may bedepicted therein.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A picture puzzle consisting of a plurality of members divided bothvertically and horizontally and having a figure depicted centrallythereon, the outline of the figure crossing the horizontal division atopposite sides of and'at equal distance from the vertical division, andcrossing the verpicted centrally thereon, the outline (if the figurecrossing one'of the linesat opposite sides of and at equal distancesfrom the other line and crossing the last-mentioned line at oppositesides of and at equal distances from the first-mentioned line,diagonally opposite ones of the quarters being transposable in reversedposition.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK w. RICE. [L. 5.

Witnesses; A

JAMES E. MoGREw, MABEL M. M LLER.

